Former Ireland wing Shane Horgan insists that the Springboks are the best in the world by a significant margin and could be for some time.
After winning a historic fourth Rugby World Cup, there has been no lull by South Africa in 2024 as they claimed the Rugby Championship title and won 11 of their 13 matches.
That was despite considerable rotation as they tried 50 players this year with a view to the next global tournament in Australia in 2027.
Head coach Rassie Erasmus understands that the Boks need to rebuild the squad as the core of the team that won back-to-back World Cups get towards the end of their careers.
Mix of youth and experience
Erasmus has started to do that but he has also retained their experienced players, which has made for a potent mix in 2024.
What consistently stands the Springboks in good stead is their execution of the fundamentals and Horgan, who was appearing on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast, started off by praising their work at the contact area.
“What’s come out of the autumn, if it needs to be restated, is the importance of breakdown. South Africa, the way they clearout at the ruck is phenomenal,” the Ireland great said.
“Ireland were off in the first couple of games, both in terms of resourcing and accuracy, and that is something that never happens to South Africa.”
The Boks finished the year as the number one side in the World Rugby rankings and Horgan believes that it will remain that way in 2025.
“South Africa are intimidatingly good at the moment, and for a very long period into the future,” he said. “This isn’t as if they’re bouncing up and down from number one to number three in the world.
“Let’s not have this conversation for a very long time, these are number one by a long way, they’re a long way ahead of everyone at the moment.
“They’re phenomenal – impeccable at the breakdown and ferocious.”
Horgan was then questioned by presenter Alex Payne about the age profile of the squad, with many of their greats now well into their 30s.
Some will not make the next World Cup and Payne wondered whether that could affect them as they rebuild, but Horgan disagreed.
The 46-year-old insists that the talent coming through is more than good enough to replace those that played a key part in their past two World Cup successes.
‘Conveyor belt of talent’
“If you look at their depth, they just have a conveyor belt of talent,” he added.
“There may be an element of that but it’s absolutely perfect fertile ground for development, and I don’t it’s that all these guys will drop out at once and then they have to find a new team.
“It will be, as they are now, evolving, and they’ve been doing that for quite a while. I think they’re going to be okay.
“You see Etzebeth [against Wales] with his support line? It’s like, ‘what?’ How is he doing that? Phenomenal. It was so noticeable because he didn’t drop off any pace.
“It was like, ‘how is he anywhere near this guy?’ And he was.”
